From 750d4e07dd4379d0d1a7e3a56b2997401bdbfa7e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Jack Grigg Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2016 12:58:51 -0500 Subject: [PATCH] Document that wallet encryption is disabled --- doc/security-warnings.md | 19 +++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 19 insertions(+) diff --git a/doc/security-warnings.md b/doc/security-warnings.md index c5c34085..a4a4060a 100644 --- a/doc/security-warnings.md +++ b/doc/security-warnings.md @@ -14,6 +14,25 @@ make proving keys generated on 64-bit systems unusable on 32-bit and big-endian systems. It's unclear if a warning will be issued in this case, or if the proving system will be silently compromised. +Wallet Encryption +----------------- + +Wallet encryption is disabled, for several reasons: + +- Encrypted wallets are unable to correctly detect shielded spends (due to the + nature of unlinkability of JoinSplits) and will incorrectly show much larger + available shielded balances until the next time the wallet is unlocked. + +- While encrypted wallets prevent spending of funds, they do not maintain the + shielding properties of JoinSplits (due to the need to detect spends). That + is, someone with access to an encrypted wallet.dat has full visibility of + your entire transaction graph (other than newly-detected spends, which suffer + from the earlier issue). + +You should use full-disk encryption (or encryption of your home directory) to +protect your wallet at rest, and should assume (even unprivileged) users who are +runnng on your OS can read your wallet.dat file. + Side-Channel Attacks --------------------